Vaishnava Bauls of Birbhum the oldest living lineage of Bauls, An Oral Sanskrit Tradition.Note* One should understand the oral in the case of the Vaishnava Bauls means Sanskrit, most of the new Bauls do not have any relationship to Sanskrit. Sanskrit was the Baul's indigenous language in the oral tradition.

“That is why, brother, I became a madcap Baul. No master I obey, nor injunctions, canons or custom. Now no men-made distinctions have any hold on me, and I revel only in the gladness of my own welling love. In love there's no separation, but commingling always. So I rejoice in song and dance with each and all."

Rabindranath Tagore's one and only Baul Guru was Nabani Das Khyappa Baul

Rabindranath Tagore became a Baul when the legendary Sri Nabani (Gosia) Das Khyappa Baul gave Tagore the name Ravi (Robi) Baul and in return Tagore gave Nabani (Noboni) the name Khyappa Baul and named him 'Mirror of the Sky'. Rabindranath Tagore was initiated into Baul by Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. To this very day villagers in Birbhum remember a legendary Tantric Vaishnav Baul Saint Avadhut named Nabani Das Khyappa Baul.

Khyappa or sometimes spelled Kheppa and (Kheppi for women) means sat chit ananda (eternal conscious and blissful), highly mystical, fully awake, aware, divine ecstatic love, wild, free bird, blissful, divine consciousness, magical, mysterious, out of body connected to the divine at a very high level,khyappais not something that can be faked. It is not a name for everybody it was a name designated for a Avadhut, however, today everybody is calling themselveskhyappa as many are calling themselves ‘Baul’ and ‘Baul Guru’.

Rabindranath Tagore the great Bengali Noble prize winner for literature and the writer of the Indian, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan national anthems, loved Nabani and Nabani is the only Baul who inspired and associated with Tagore, Nabani was Tagores Baul Guru. The Pous Mela in Shantiniketan was created by Rabindranath Tagore in honour of Nabani Das Baul to bring together intellectuals, poets, and creative artists from around the world.

To the untrained eye and ear wandering and singing a song does not make one a Baul. Rabindranath honoured Nabani because he was an ecstatic mystic full of wisdom, he admired his poetry, his tune and his depth in sadhana as a Tantric Yogi and Baul Avadhut. Rabindranath respected Nabani's ancient lineage and its richness, authentic cultural significance and tradition of wisdom, along with the energetic live wire shaktified pure ecstatic love that Nabani embodied. Tagore also, gave land and a special place for Nabani Das Khyappa Baul to sit and be at Tagores own Vishva Bharti University, they spent much time together and it should be noted that all of the old pictures and the ones at The Royal British Museum in London of Nabani were pictures taken by Tagore himself.

This Baul family and their association with Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi

Tagore appointed Nabani Das Baul as a Professor of Baul music and dance at the Tagore Vishva Bharti University in Shantiniketan. Nabani is the first and last Baul to teach at Vishva Bharti University. One of Nabani's students was Indira Gandhi, her father Jawaharlal Nehru had the greatest respect for Nabani. The Indian Independence movement was in full swing. Nehru appointed Nabani a state singer, where Nabani along with Nehru and his contingent traveled all over India, playing for people, sharing the magic of Baul and Nehru's political messages.

Like his grandfather, KD Babukishan also traveled with his parents around India as state singers for Indira Gandhi, with whom Babu's mother was best friends until Indira Gandhi's assassination. Babukishan recalls going to Delhi for Indira Gandhi's state funeral with the Gandhi family. There were millions of people it was an epic historical event the fall out from her death or I should say her murder was catastrophic. They also were state singers for Rajiv Gandhi until Rajiv's assassination . Often times after a day of work Babu would sit with Rajiv Gandhi and unwind after their travels through out India. Babukishan has traveled India many times with different people including Sitaram Das Omkarnath, his father, his mentor a Supreme Court judge master Jyotishi who predicted Babu would meet me also he predicted that Sri Purnab Mukerjee President of India would rule India. Purnab Mukerjee and Babu's family were very close as his mom Manju and Pranab's wife were relatives and best friends, the late Mrs Mukerjee whom Babu called Gita Auntie. I met Mrs Mukerjee at the Mukerjee bhavan in Delhi in 2007 she was very sweet.

Mystical Bards, Guru's, Pandits, Acharya's who are simply called Baul.

Guru Shishya Parampara Sampradaya Ancient Mystical Lineage. Bauls are Tantrics, Indian musicians who know the Tantra of Sound, Mystical Bards, Guru's, Pandits, Acharya's who are simply called Baul. There are some Bauls who are not from this lineage or a lineage period and it is very interesting how they are changing the face of an ancient living lineage that they do not even understand. Real Bauls are mysterious you will never figure them out all one can do is taste their rasa it is impossible to catch a Baul they are here one minute and gone the next, they do not want to be seen and certainly do not want to collect devotee's but there is something to learn from them if one is patient. It is a contradictory path of opposites that are meant to confuse as you must be a sincere student it is not meant for the spiritual materialist. One must have one foot in the heavens and one foot firmly on the earth. I have spent 10 years 24/7 trying to put this path into words and have read almost everything ever written about Baul and I will tell you what they write is wrong even what they sing is shortened, and sometimes even they are singing Bollywood songs that people think is Baul? A real Baul is very deep and in some ways not meant for this modern world and of course I do not understand Sanskrit or Bengali, I feel Baul I learn from Babukishan who is so connected to Nabani Das Khyappa Baul.

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, was wise enough to know what the scholar Sri Chaitanya had figured out 500 years before, that Bauls were able to draw people together through their energetic shakti and ecstatic charismatic chanting, singing and dancing. Dry scholarship and talking doesn't necessarily awaken people to a new movement. Sri Nitanyanda of Ekchakra Birbhum was a Vaishnava Baul and the ancestor of this lineage, he was elder to Sri Chaitanya. It was Nitanyanada who taught his Baul tradtion of kirtan, singing and dancing to Sri Chaitanya.

​Sri Chaityana started his Hari Krishna movement based on the ecstatic 'Hari Krishna Hari Ram' singing and dancing of the Vaishnava Baul of Birbhum. The Bauls would start with the Hari Krishna chant early in the mornings as a wakeup call announcing their presence to the villagers of Bengal, inviting them to listen and learn about spiritual life.

Lineage of KIRTAN

Authentic Baul is a rare, esctatic, super charged high speed internet super duper highway to ecstatic union, direct blissful Yoga and sweet heart-opening devotional singing and Baul Kirtan is full of ecstatic energy that turns even the hardest of hearts to honey, bringing the rasa of ananda (bliss) alive. There is layer upon layer of the heart Bauls awakens layers that one never thought existed, it is magical. Baul awakens a memory deep within the heart you do not have to understand but you must feel.

Baul is a secret mystical Tantric esoteric super charged path.

Baul is a secret esoteric path a Baul will never tell you anything directly you must will learn through the practice of listening deeply. If you are fortunate to be with Baul over a lifetime if one is lucky you may grasp a drop, all the rest is just mere speculation. You will be tested every step of the way on this magical journey, the path is not straight it is crooked to prevent the people who are not prepared. Today everybody wants everything right here and now that is not the path of Baul because it is a super advanced path a way to easily reach God/dess but as we know nothing is really easy. It is not a beginners path, however, one can feel the energy and awaken quickly if the person calling themselves a Baul is actually a Baul.

The path of Love

The path of poetry, deep soul music, trance dance and sadhana

The path of ecstatic union

The path of everything as above so below

The path of humanity

The mysterious mystical inner path

The path of GRACE and Divine Love

The path of the Avadhut

The Mystic Tantric Path

The path of higher deep Yoga. The path beyond the Path

The bliss permeated Path

The path of Soul mates

The path of the Divine Feminine

The path of Shakti Sahana

Baul is the path of everything in the universe as above, so below, the path of poetry, all Bauls produce some kind of poetry, they are poetic storytellers, this is how they distill their teachings in simple poetic songs that hit the heart of everything the universe, there is nothing that is excluded.

Bauls play a one stringed trance inducing instrument called an ‘ektara’ also called the ‘Gopi Chand’ or ‘Gopi Yantra’ which is the Bauls symbol of peace and unity for all. A Baul plays a variety of instruments including a rare one or two stringed instrument called a ‘Gubgubi’ which Nabnai himself named the Ananada Laharimeaning ‘waves of bliss’. Baul is a Guru Shishya Parampara Sampradaya, they are sadhu's and belong to sadhu sangha which are called Akaras. There used to be 22 such sanghas, now there are only 2, they are almost extinct.

There is a lot of misinformation about the Bauls today, misrepresentations abound among a new generation of Baul singers, scholars, writers, documentary film makers, information found on wikipedia, Gurus from other sects including Osho who wrote many books on the Bauls and was deeply inspired by Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. All of them have completely missed the point of who these sweet devotional people are. They repeat the same thing over and over and it is not accurate. Many fakes are changing this beautiful tradition, they dress the part, singing out of tune trying to copy what can not be copied. Baul is only achieved through sadhana. The fake Bauls say they are sadhakas to attract students, some say they are sexual tantrics as sex always sells. This has gone on for a long time. Unaware foreigners attracted by sexual tantra of the west, and Indians attracted by the dream of sexual freedom, flock to Shantineketan. Yet the real Bauls are now almost extinct, and those that still remain, live marginalized.

​Bauls have been described as mad, Sai, Shah, Fakir, Dervish, Aula, Muslim, afflicted by the wind, illiterate, beggars and folk singers, yet they are none of the above. First of all Bauls were never beggars for anything but God/dess. A Baul would received Dakshina from the villagers for their wisdom and teachings. Bauls were farmers. They have survived for thousands and thousands of years, it is amazing that they survived through the British imposed famines in Bengal. which is a story These stories have started to be told regarding the 1940 second world war time of mass starvation's that occurred during the British imposed diversion of food crops to Europe where millions of Bengal's perished.

Sahaja - Sufi - Buddhism - Islam - their relationship to Baul

Bauls accepted all but that does not mean they became the other, it does NOT mean they became Islamic or Buddhist. I can say this with confidence Bauls are not Islamic or Buddhist they are eclectic however, they are based on Santatn Dharma. Baul is a sect unto its own, they are Sahaja Vaishnava Baul and are some of the first Sufi"s and Baul on the planet.

Sahaja = Sufi Vaishnava Baul (Hindu Tantric Sufi) I am trying to put Baul in a category a box this is what we western's do. Bauls worship the Divine Feminine Shakti.

When I first met Babukishan he would always tell me that he was Sufi Baul or mention the name Sufi, he had some old posters from Sufi Books in New York where he had performed but I knew there was no Islamic Sufi affiliation withe Baul. It was confusing and had taken me a very long time to understand Babukishan was talking about a Sufi way before Islam existed a kind of Sufi that belongs to all the peoples of planet earth a Sufi that has no religious affiliation. Perhaps Sufi is a word like Shamanism and Baul also a term used to describe the earliest teachings of the peoples of planet earth and we can also, call this Sahaja.

It is very difficult to understand and describe Baul, it works directly on the heart of those who listen providing a type of psychic heart surgery lightening the soul.

What is Sahaja? What Sahaja is not?

Sahaja is similar to Sufi in meaning, it is an ancient high spiritual reality “Sahaja simply means natural and spontaneous. It not only implies natural spiritual levels, but on the mystic level of the miraculous. It means that easy or natural state of living without planning, design, contriving, seeking, wanting, striving or intention. It is that nature which, when once established, brings the state of absolute freedom and peace. Sahaja is a natural state which balances reality between the pairs of opposites and maintains harmony of the Cosmos.

Thus ‘sahaja’ expresses one who has reverted to his natural state, free from conditioning. It typifies the outlook which belongs to the natural, spontaneous and uninhibited man or women, free from innate or inherited defects.As such even nakedness of the avadhut is considered to be ‘sahaja’. By his own demeanor a Baul shows man’s instinct for naturalness and primordial perfection not only of the physical and spiritual level but at the mystical level. A parallel is made to plants and trees which do not grow according ‘svadharma’ or rules and obligations incurred at birth.

Nature only has ‘svabhava’ meaning its own inborn self or essence as its guidance. In other words ‘what is to come must come of itself’ to manifest in a state of absolute freedom. Taoism speaks of ‘sahaja’ as a highest virtue – the loss of the peculiar naturalness or unselfconsciousness. I have personal experiences with Taosim and my Master named his place of practice the same word as Sahaja but in Chinese name.

Bauls are considered to be Sahaja which means natural and spontaneous. It implies natural on the spiritual level and on the mystical level of the miraculous. It means that easy natural state of living without planning, design, contriving, seeking, wanting, or striving for attention. It is that nature which, when once established, brings the state of absolute freedom and peace. Sahaja is a natural state which balances reality between the pairs of opposites and maintains harmony of the Cosmos.

Sahaja is NOT, licentious, loose, lustful, lewd, salacious behavior as described by the orthodox Vaishnava coming out of Bengal and in Vrindavan. Sahaja is a Sanskrit word and those translations are completely wrong. To be sahaja is to hear, see, smell beauty in all things naturally, spontaneously. Sahaja is to be love (prema) unconditionally from the soul spontaneously and naturally it is not acting and faking devotion. Sahaja is a inner feminine way of being the "path of Radha" the inner soul. Sahaja is an elevated higher sattvic way of being. It is to move ones focus inward and not get stuck in rhetoric and the mind or of knowledge an opinions of others, especially the othodox who need you to pay for their temples and way of life. Sahaja. It is about having knowledge but not getting caught and hung up on knowledge, more specifically Sahaja is distilled knowledge which has become blissful wisdom.

One finds this state in an innocent child which is always in its ‘sahaja’ state unless interfered to by society. In his semi-naked state an sahaja avadut is just as unconscious of others nakedness as he was of his own.

“The person who has conquered the baser self and has reached to the level of self mastery: he is at peace, whether it be in cold or hot, pleasure or pain, honoured or dishonoured” – Bhagavad Gita. “ This is Sahaja the Bhagavad Gita and Vaishnavism is Sahaja in its pure unorthodox sitting on a throne form. It should be noted pure Gaudiya Vaishnavism always honored this family of Bauls.

There are perhaps hundreds if not thousands of pictures of this family preforming for them raising huge amounts of money for them. There has never been any debate about them not being ancestors of Sri Nityananda of Ekchakra? Their story has never been told and now with the internet many are making up stories. I hope this is sufficient and people start to understand what Sahaja is. Hey no worries Baul is seriously extinct what you see today is something similar to Yoga as modern postural yoga of the west, although much messier with bits and pieces of the puzzle but no authentic Baul left. Bauls were always very clean and sattvic there long hair clean well kept worn on top of their heads. Baul is a shadow of the past like most indigenous peoples of planet earth. Yes, the are indigenous peoples of Birbhum Rarh an ancient land they did not come from somewhere else or even Calcutta.

It is important to understand that Baul arrived before both Buddhism and Islam. Bauls are considered to be original Sufi before Muslim existed and Sufi in this context is Hindu or more appropriately called Sanatan Dharmic Sufi. Some say they are the very earliest Indian Sufi's but I do not like to use the word Sufi because there is so much debate about where Sufi is from and the Bauls of Bengal are not Islamic they sing some Islamic Sufi songs because they love all but that does not make them Islamic or Muslim. However, I must make it perfectly clear Sufi pre-dates Islam and Sufi in the context of Baul is not Islamic it is Sahaja (Sahajaya) Baul Sahaja is Universal Sufi.

The original Das and Dasi Kirtan singers from Rarh, the red soil called Birbhum

The Bauls were not British educated English speaking Christian Bengali's who learned Sanskrit after the fact. Vaishnava Bauls learned Sanskrit in the oral tradition by hearing and remembering from birth, which creates a person with a photo graphic memory. Bauls are the original Das and Dasi singers and dancers of Bengal, the original kirtanists from the red soil called Rarh. Many of their Kirtan's have been taken by the Orthodox New fundamentalist Vaishnava and claimed as their own? They use a degrading language to describe the Bauls and many other sects to raise themselves up higher than any other religion in the world this surely anyone can understand is most certainly not othodox is shows a lack of confidence and heart towards others. Yet they have no clue where their information and kirtan came from or the true stories.

KD Babukishan a Master of Indian Music

Babukishan is a master of India music classical, folk bhajan, kirtan, all music and his job for years was working for the biggest music companies in India categorizing all of the music of India, his description of kirtan is completely different from what is going on in the west. The west is chanting, kirtan is the telling of the stories of Krishna, Ram Shiva and Kali telling their stories in reverence and chanting. Kirtan is worship with reverence it is unheard of in his tradition for people to fall asleep on the floor.

It should be noted that Babukishan has recorded and produced the first recorded Hanuman Chalisa in India that is one of the most successful recordings of the Hanuman Chalisa played in all the temples in India the singer the late Hari Om Sharam. Babukishan has also, produced and recorded music by some of the Islamic Sufi greats including, Abida Parveen, Munni Begam, Allan Fakir, Nusrat Fateh Ali, Karim Khan, Majid Shola, and many more so he understands what is Muslim Sufi and what is Baul Sufi from experience not from books. He has recorded more Lalon Fakir songs than anybody and loves his poetry but still does not consider him to be a Baul. Babukishan has also, produced and recorded the biggest kirtan, bhajan singers in India including ... all those names I can not spell or say I will list them shortly.

Bauls were the biggest peacekeepers accepting all people. It should be understood that Baul is the path of the Avadhut always exploring and learning. They have many teachers but only one Guru. Understanding the history of Bengal is very important to understanding Baul. When Bengal was in strife under Islamic invasion they accepted Sufi into their fold. When Buddhists flowed into Bengal and were challenged by Brahamins, Bauls were the only people who gave them refuge and accepted them saving many from persecution. Baul is a sect onto its own based on Sanatan Dharma with a sprinkle of what are called Sufi and Buddhist practices. Please understand that it is also, said Sufi is based on Sanatan Dharma and was in India way before the Muslim's existed. Bauls have always been natural Indian Tantric Sufi's. A Baul will also say Buddha actually followed Shiva thus Shiva predating Buddha. Many of Baul practices are some of the earliest known before Buddha and before Sufi was ever attached to Islam in modern thought and modern times.

Birbhum W Bengal is the birth place of The Bauls of Bengal.

​

Stories abound about Bauls being from Persia, Uzbeckistan or Bangladesh, but many of these speculations are coming out of Bangladesh which is a Muslim country. They have somehow appropriated Baul culture and use this as a way to raise huge amount of money, apparently in order to preserve Baul Tradition as their ‘National heritage’. Baul tradition was born thousands of years ago and is indigenous to and originates from Birbhum Bengal. There were no Bauls in Bangledesh, even when Bangaldesh was Bengal they were not from the place now called Bangladesh. Baul has always been based on Sanatan Dharma, the eternal dharma of India as found in the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Puranic and Vedic wisdom. There were no Bauls in Bangladesh prior to the 1970's because Babu's mother Manju was a well know family in that area before it became Bangladesh.

Vaishnava Baul is the lineage of Krishna & Kali Kirtan. The Vaishnava Bauls are the original Kirtanists from the land of Rarh (red soil) which is Birbhum.

Kenduli Birbhum Bengal is the home of the Joy DEV Baul Mela. JOY Dev wrote the Gita Govinda about the love between Radha and Krishna.

This story comes from the oral tradition of the oldest living Baul lineage as told by Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul, a ‘Lineage Baul Guru’ and the only Baul Guru Scholar from inside the tradition of the Vaishnava Bauls of Birbhum Bengal. Babukishan has lectured all over the world for decades at the University level and has done Baul preformances on some of the biggest stages in the world since the 1970's.

Baul is not only an ocean of devotion but is also, an ocean of Indian Philosophy, Yoga, Tantra, Vedic, Puranic, and Upanishad wisdom. The title 'Baul' implies one is a Guru, Pandit, Acharya, an authority, they were the Shastra before books, they are oral storytellers, spiritual Bards, Bhakti Yogi's, Masters of Nada Yoga, and Vayu Dharma. However, being an oral tradition did not mean they didn't read Bengali and Sanskrit manuscripts and Shastra.

KD Babukishan was born in 1962 in Suri Bhirbhum W Bengal into the lap of Nabani Das Khappa Baul and his wife Brajabala Dasi. KD Babukishan is the birth son of Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi, however and for whatever reason he was left right after his birth to be raised by Sri Nabani, his Sat Guru and grandfather. Nabani and Brajabala raised their little grandson who was born premature with crooked limbs, it was thought he would die the next day. They named him Krishnendu (Krishna in Bengali). The name Babukishan was given to him by Mahesh Bhatt a Hindi film Director and Suraj Sanim one of the biggest Hindi film writers.

Tarapith - Authentic Tantric Sadhana

Nabani was an adept sadhaka at Tarapith who had traveled as a sadhu tantric all over India living in the Himalaya's into Tibet he has lived in caves and was a great Yogi Tantric. Nabani took his sick tiny premature grandson with crooked limbs to Tara Maa right after he was born praying and begging for his life. Ayurvedic medicine, prayers and mantra were used to heal baby Krishnendu and his limbs were straightened through daily Ayurvedic massage given by Nabani and Brajabala Dasi. It should be noted that Nabani was a healer and he had healed thousands of people eveywhere he went, taking their karma and transmuting their karma.

Nabani knew the Tantra of alchemy and traditional herbs, he was a close friend of the famed Ayurvedic doctor and healer Dr. Kali Goti who also helped with healing Babu. Nabani was an adept at manifesting siddhi's, he knew all the Guru's, Saints, Siddhas, Yogis, Naths, Swamis, Sadhus, Sadhakas of the time and had them all give dharshan and blessings to his little baby Krishnendu. Babu went everywhere with Nabani and was a regular at Tarapith learning tantric and Baul sadhana. hanging out with the Gurus and Tantrics one could say he owes his life to Tara Maa and Kali Maa. The village Rakha Kali Maa temple where he played, was right beside the Ratha Yatra Cart with Radha and Krishna. The village favoured many gods. Babu saw and experienced a world that does not exist today, those times are gone. I specualate that perhaps this was Babu's karma and a continuation of his past life.

Nabani Das Khyappa Bauls Samadhi 1969

Nabani's samadhi was in 1969, when KD Babukishan was only 8 years old. He thought Nabani was his father, until he learned his real father was Nabani's eldest son Purna Das Baul who had since had two other sons that were raised outside the Baul tradition, in contemporary Calcutta. Most people on a path would agree that our family is not who we are. Guru is our real family if we are lucky to have one, Babu was lucky to have Nabani who left him his spark. Losing Nabani was to be the greatest loss of little KD Babukishan's life and the greatest loss to the whole Baul community. Nabani was not an ordinary Baul he was an extraordinary genius. Babukishan was by his side when he went into samadhi.

On his grandfather’s passing, KD Babukishan recalls: suddenly my grandpa reached out and gave me his hand at the same time a huge thunder cracked and filled the air with energy, my grandpa ' Boro Baba's' whole body turned a blue whitish an electric current shocked me and ran through my body at the same time automatically the tulsi plant fell over and the Bhagavad Gita sitting in the tulsi plant hit Boro Baba on his head, he was gone. He held my hand so tight I felt an electric current run through my body my third eye opened, I saw the universe my Boro Baba had given me what is called a Bramhma darshan. I felt a huge force of power and light in my body, I couldn't break free of Boro Baba's grip.

The Baul kirtan for Nabani went on for weeks, they chanted HARI KRISHNA HARI RAM for 8 days in a continuous flow, and then 6 more weeks taking breaks for some food and rest. Thousands of people came to pay their respects. Nabani was a famous father figure, Baul Guru of Birbhum, a state artist and the whole state of Birbhum was closed. He was burried in traditional Baul way, sitting in a padmasana.

Some time after his grandfather’s death, his Grandmother sent him to live in Calcutta with Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi, his birth parents, as she felt he’d be better off there and that he needed to be educated. KD Babukishan's went from the highest energy and biggest love bliss to a material life in Calcutta and a family where he didn't fit in. He recalls how his mother Manju used to bribe him with cookies to call her Maa.

Those days were hard for a little boy, suddenly surrounded by strangers, in the strange city, and before long, they packed him off to Ramakrishna Mission, where he remained for the following twelve years. Living there was tough, but the Swami’s there respected the Bauls, and often told him the story how Ramakrishna loved the Bauls, and said many times how he wanted to be born a Baul in his next life.

A New life in Calcutta - Ramakrishna Mission First trip oversee's London 1971

The family sometimes let him stay with them and even travel with them, touring with his father. When he was nine, they went to London and Europe on his first of many overseas trips. They went to perform at the fundraiser for Bangladesh in 1971, 1972, and 1978. There was a big group of Indian musicians who played at Hyde Park at the concert sponsored by the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. That is where he first met and became lifelong friends with George Harrison and the Rolling Stones. Later in 1986, George Harrison along with Ravi Shankar helped him publish his 3rd book on Bauls, now out of print. During that trip they traveled to Mick Jaggers place in Nice, France and where his father recorded with them for the album Jai Bangla. Mick Jagger was their limousine driver, and drove them from the airport to his place. In 2004 Babukishan returned the favor picking up Mick Jagger from the airport when The Rolling Stones performed in Mumbai.

Just as he was in the process of becoming a sanaysin, his father pulled him out of Ramakrishna Mission to work as his tour manager and it should be noted that Babukishan composed most of his fathers music as Krishnendu Das he was also, the youngest music composer in India at the time and was given awards for being the youngest and has a 40 years of award winning music composer. There were many good times and many difficult times with his Calcutta family and he left them for Mumbai after somethings that Babu didn't agree with but always supported them.

How to pronounce Baul

The easiest way to pronounce Baul is (Ba–oowl). Bauls are known as 'wind catchers' , the Masters of Pranayama which they call Vayu Dharma. Baul comes from the words Vayu (air) and Tula (to raise the vital air). Ba stands for Va in Bengali language. Bauls practice various yogic tantric techniques and their singing and mantric chanting. The aim of the Baul is God Realization & Self Realization in the human body, humanity is first and foremost to the Bauls – to be a good human, to realize God within this body temple.

Bauls practice techniques similar to Daoist Qigong. They are Masters of energy work and mysticism. They are visionary and communicate inward, it is a inner path. Inner ritual, Radha and Krishna reside in the alter of the heart this is where the Rasa Lila takes place. As an example of outer it would be the temple and book business and even sometimes even murti's. Remember a Baul does not reject therefore, they also worship murti's but they do not give much importance to outer it is accepted not rejected. I have been to every type of temple, church and even mosques around the world with Babukishan that is what we do. However it is not Babu's dream to be in the temple business, it is his dream to have an ashram to preserve and educate about Baul and folk music, Indian music. His dream is music, Indian music is born in him, his education is music, his career is music, you can take the Baul out of India but you can not take the MUSIC out of the Baul.

Pioneering only Legendary BAULS

Purna Das Baul is the first famous Indian Vocalist to come to America. First arriving in 1967 on a tour from San Francisco to New York staying in Woodstock NY at Bob Dylan's home as guests of Sally and Albert B Grossman (Bob Dylans manager). The recorded music from that time is called 'Bauls at Big Pink'. Purna Das Baul and his brother the late Laxshman Das Baul who was a much loved Baul a Bob Marley of the Bauls appeared on the cover of Bob Dylan's Legendary album John Westly Harding, Bob Dylan was a super fan of Lakshman Das Baul. Sally Grossman has remained a loyal a very dear friend of the Bauls and Laxshman Das Baul since 1967. At 81 years of age Lashman Das Baul passed away in April 2015 ending a legendary period of Baul history.

Please note it was the early 1950's when Purna Das Baul first traveled outside of India, he went to Russia. This family started the tradition of Bauls traveling outside of India it is not their traditional custom.

The Bauls at Big Pink produced by Al Aronowitz the father of Rock Journalism and another beloved friend of Babu's who passed in 2004, Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson of the Band 1967 / The photo of Nabani Das Khyappa Baul was taken by Rabindranath Tagore. The Bauls on this album are Purna Das Baul and Lakshman Das Baul

Baul Samarat (King of the Bauls) Purna Das Baul at 82 years old has recieved the highest awards as a vocalist in India including many President Awards, Padma Shri and a rare award from the JAGANATHA TEMPLE called 'Nada Brahma Award' which only 3 have received including the much celebrated Ravindra Jain and Lata Mangeshakar. This family of Vaishnava Bauls are celebrated at the Jaganatha Temple in Orissa they know they are ancestors of Nityananda, Jai Nitai.

Allen Ginsberg's 'Guru' was Nabani Das Baul, Ginsberg first met Nabani in the early 1960's while traveling in Bengal. Nabani Das Baul is the only Baul Guru that Allen Ginsberg had, I keep reading how Ginsberg was associated with Lalon Fakir which is a complete fabrication his Baul Guru was Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. Ginsberg became a very dear friend of KD Babukishan he knows all the stories about Ginsberg and any association and inner feelings of his relationship between Ginsberg and Nabani Das Baul. Babu visited Ginsberg every year in New York from the 1980's until Ginsberg passed they were great friends perhaps meeting 100's of times, they are both poets and have a love for Nabani Das Baul. Ginsberg is the one who insisted to Sally and Albert B Grossman (Bob Dylan's manager) to bring Nabani to America, however, in 1967 Nabani's health was failing and he sent his two son's Lakshman Das Baul and Purna Das Baul.

Nabani had also spent a lifetime of traveling throughout India, meditating in the Himalaya's and Tibet and associated with many Guru Bai's and high level adepts many miraculous stories to be told. In 1962 when Babukishan was left with Nabani and Brajabala he stopped traveling. He was addicted to his grandson and considered him to be his Bala Krishna, he also called Babu, Prem and kept him with him all the time.

Kshiti Mohan Sen was a well-known scholar of ancient and medieval India and close associate of Rabindranath Tagore served as the Vice Chancellor of Visva-Bharati University in Santineketan for years. Kshiti Mohan Shastri described Nabani Das Baul "the last real true Baul" he wrote a book on Baul and regarded Nabani as the greatest ocean of intelligence he was as a huge admirer of Nabani. Kriti Mohan Sastri is the Grandfather of Armarta Sen a Professor, Economist and Philosopher living in New York.

KD Babukishan walks between worlds in a true tantric form with one foot in the spiritual world and one foot firmly on earth, in the world but not of the world. He is a highly awarded Bollywood Indian Cinema Music Composer, Indian Music Producer, a Master of Indian Music, Classical, Folk, Bhajan, and Kirtan composing scores for 150 films, Film Designer, Film Maker, he has recorded and worked with the who is who of Indian music and Western music.

KD Babukisha was raised a Baul and spent 12 years as a Ramakrishna monk in Calcutta, BA in Indian Philosophy, MA of Indian Music from Calcutta University, Poet, the first Baul to be educated in the oral tradition and outside. A Sanskrit Scholar from the Oral Tradition, Sanskrit Education at the Masters level and because of his love of Sanskrit he spent countless years learning from Dr. Roma Chowdhri who was like a mother to Babu she was a legendary world renowned Bengali Sanskrit scholar who dedicated her whole life to Sanskrit.

Baukishan now lives in Vancouver Canada with me Trishula his Moner Manush wife and partner of almost ten years, traveling back and forth to India. Babu's life changed dramatically when he was in the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia where he witnessed, tens of thousands of souls leaving Bhumi Maa all at once, one of Maa's biggest smashen grounds. He has lived through the 1971 war between Bengal and Bangladesh, he has lived through many many terrorist attacks in Mumbai and lived many lifetimes in this one lifetime. Babu's main cause has always been to preserve his Baul tradition and it has been proven a difficult task it seems that over many decades his dream, all of his time and energy have been thwarted by his Calcutta family and many other road blocks, but he never gives up.

"The way my braid is, that’s how it will stay.I’ll get into the water, I’ll splash water around, but I won’t get my hair wet.I’ll swim about this way, and that way.I’ll dive into the water, and won’t listen to what people say.I’ll enjoy myself but not suffer because of it.Gosain Rasaraj says: “Listen, my friend , that beauty leaves me speechless".I won’t be chaste; I won’t be unchaste.

Not getting ones hair wet means to remain unattached do it, do everything but do not remain attached to the event or outcome give your attachments to Krishna.

​Bauls songs are metaphorically coded. It is really hard to translate Bengali or Sanskrit into a one worded English translation and sometimes even impossible, there is assumed one knows all of Yoga and Tantra because each song is many discourses all in a simple song and sometimes you do not need to understand, you can listen and just get in it on a very deep level, the songs awaken a person to understanding. It is very subtle but a memory deep within your heart will understand.

The Joy Dev Baul Mela is held here the Vaishnava Bauls attend ever year to do puja to the great poet (kavi) Joy Dev. The bridge going across the Ajoy river is named Nabani Setu after Nabani Das Baul. The mela is completely different today, the Bauls have been marginalized and pushed out by the new kirtan singers. The Bauls honour Joy Deva and the love he had for his soul mate Padmavati because Bauls believe in Soul Mates as Radha and Krishna live and dance in their hearts, this is the real Rasa Lila dance.

Copyright all rights reserved 2016by Trishula Das

PLEASE do not copy and paste, then cut the names off.

Copyright all rights reserved 2016

If not for Baul Saint Nabani Das Kyappa Baul, Purna Das Baul and Maju Dasi, Lakshman Das Baul and Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul there would be no one in this world who would know anything about Baul.

Babukishan should be given an oscar or an equivalent reward because if not for him no one would know anything about Baul. He created most of the relationships and maintained them for his Baul family, he has never asked for acknowledgement but I am saying after hearing what he has done for Baul. He is the first Baul author writing 3 books on Baul in the 1980's, the last one in 1986 was published with the help of George Harrison and Ravi Shankar. George Harrison was Babu's person friend. Ravi Shakar was a family friend he has known since childhood, Babu was best friends with Ravi Shakar's only son.

This lineage are the pioneers who brought Baul to the world. Today some 50 or 60 years later some Bauls are trying to do what they have done and that is a good thing they have been inspired by this lineage the oldest living lineage of Baul, however, the copying and deleting of this lineages names and then just listing them just as the Bauls of Bengal who were associated with Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan, George Harrison and more.

I have seen article after article on the net saying Bauls even received a Padma Shri Award, no Bauls did not a Baul did and his name is Sri Purna Das Baul, please use the names of the Baul and when saying Bauls were associated with Tagore, it was only Nabani Das Khyappa Baul.

Bauls were not associated with any of the below, it was only this family of Bauls the oldest living lineage and the Bauls who brought Baul to the world.

Please do not use what they have done and then generically say Bauls did.

If you were the Prime Minister of India would all chai walla's take credit and say Chai Walla's are Prime Minister of India?

This lineage and family are the only Bauls who have associated with, when you read Bauls associated with Bauls did not only Babukishan and family did. Bauls in general as posted on the internet did not. I t should read Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das or Purna Das Baul or Nabani Das Baul associated with|:

Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul is the only BAUL who has worked in Indian Cinema and Bollywood for 30 years in a big big way. He has, recorded composed and produced most of his father's music without taking credit or any payment, he did everything for his Calcutta family for free and gave them everything and in return they delivered negative prayers. A negative prayer is the opposite of being a well wisher.

All will be told in our upcoming book which is almost, ready for printing. There will be two books "The Rasa Lila Mystics" on this lineage and another book about Babukishan's life Baul to Bollywood to Canada and it will be unplugged.

The Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Vaishnava Bauls of Birbhum the oldest living lineage of Bauls, An Oral Sanskrit Tradition.Note* One should understand the oral in the case of the Vaishnava Bauls means Sanskrit, most of the new Bauls do not have any relationship to Sanskrit. Sanskrit was the Baul's indigenous language in the oral tradition.

“That is why, brother, I became a madcap Baul. No master I obey, nor injunctions, canons or custom. Now no men-made distinctions have any hold on me, and I revel only in the gladness of my own welling love. In love there's no separation, but commingling always. So I rejoice in song and dance with each and all."Rabindra Nath Tagore, The Hibbert Lecture, Oxford, 1930

Rabindranath Tagore's one and only Baul Guru was Nabani Das Khyappa Baul

Rabindranath Tagore became a Baul when the legendary Sri Nabani (Gosia) Das Khyappa Baul gave Tagore the name Ravi (Robi) Baul and in return Tagore gave Nabani (Noboni) the name Khyappa Baul and named him 'Mirror of the Sky'. Rabindranath Tagore was initiated into Baul by Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. To this very day villagers in Birbhum remember a legendary Tantric Vaishnav Baul Saint Avadhut named Nabani Das Khyappa Baul.

Khyappa or sometimes spelled Kheppa and (Kheppi for women) means sat chit ananda (eternal conscious and blissful), highly mystical, fully awake, aware, divine ecstatic love, wild, free bird, blissful, divine consciousness, magical, mysterious, out of body connected to the divine at a very high level,khyappais not something that can be faked. It is not a name for everybody it was a name designated for a Avadhut, however, today everybody is calling themselveskhyappa as many are calling themselves ‘Baul’ and ‘Baul Guru’.

Rabindranath Tagore the great Bengali Noble prize winner for literature and the writer of the Indian, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan national anthems, loved Nabani and Nabani is the only Baul who inspired and associated with Tagore, Nabani was Tagores Baul Guru. The Pous Mela in Shantiniketan was created by Rabindranath Tagore in honour of Nabani Das Baul to bring together intellectuals, poets, and creative artists from around the world.

To the untrained eye and ear wandering and singing a song does not make one a Baul. Rabindranath honoured Nabani because he was an ecstatic mystic full of wisdom, he admired his poetry, his tune and his depth in sadhana as a Tantric Yogi and Baul Avadhut. Rabindranath respected Nabani's ancient lineage and its richness, authentic cultural significance and tradition of wisdom, along with the energetic live wire shaktified pure ecstatic love that Nabani embodied. Tagore also, gave land and a special place for Nabani Das Khyappa Baul to sit and be at Tagores own Vishva Bharti University, they spent much time together and it should be noted that all of the old pictures and the ones at The Royal British Museum in London of Nabani were pictures taken by Tagore himself.

This Baul family and their association with Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi

Tagore appointed Nabani Das Baul as a Professor of Baul music and dance at the Tagore Vishva Bharti University in Shantiniketan. Nabani is the first and last Baul to teach at Vishva Bharti University. One of Nabani's students was Indira Gandhi, her father Jawaharlal Nehru had the greatest respect for Nabani. The Indian Independence movement was in full swing. Nehru appointed Nabani a state singer, where Nabani along with Nehru and his contingent traveled all over India, playing for people, sharing the magic of Baul and Nehru's political messages.

Like his grandfather, KD Babukishan also traveled with his parents around India as state singers for Indira Gandhi, with whom Babu's mother was best friends until Indira Gandhi's assassination. Babukishan recalls going to Delhi for Indira Gandhi's state funeral with the Gandhi family. There were millions of people it was an epic historical event the fall out from her death or I should say her murder was catastrophic. They also were state singers for Rajiv Gandhi until Rajiv's assassination . Often times after a day of work Babu would sit with Rajiv Gandhi and unwind after their travels through out India. Babukishan has traveled India many times with different people including Sitaram Das Omkarnath, his father, his mentor a Supreme Court judge master Jyotishi who predicted Babu would meet me also he predicted that Sri Purnab Mukerjee President of India would rule India. Purnab Mukerjee and Babu's family were very close as his mom Manju and Pranab's wife were relatives and best friends, the late Mrs Mukerjee whom Babu called Gita Auntie. I met Mrs Mukerjee at the Mukerjee bhavan in Delhi in 2007 she was very sweet.Mystical Bards, Guru's, Pandits, Acharya's who are simply called Baul.

Guru Shishya Parampara Sampradaya Ancient Mystical Lineage. Bauls are Tantrics, Indian musicians who know the Tantra of Sound, Mystical Bards, Guru's, Pandits, Acharya's who are simply called Baul. There are some Bauls who are not from this lineage or a lineage period and it is very interesting how they are changing the face of an ancient living lineage that they do not even understand. Real Bauls are mysterious you will never figure them out all one can do is taste their rasa it is impossible to catch a Baul they are here one minute and gone the next, they do not want to be seen and certainly do not want to collect devotee's but there is something to learn from them if one is patient. It is a contradictory path of opposites that are meant to confuse as you must be a sincere student it is not meant for the spiritual materialist. One must have one foot in the heavens and one foot firmly on the earth. I have spent 10 years 24/7 trying to put this path into words and have read almost everything ever written about Baul and I will tell you what they write is wrong even what they sing is shortened, and sometimes even they are singing Bollywood songs that people think is Baul? A real Baul is very deep and in some ways not meant for this modern world and of course I do not understand Sanskrit or Bengali, I feel Baul I learn from Babukishan who is so connected to Nabani Das Khyappa Baul.

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, was wise enough to know what the scholar Sri Chaitanya had figured out 500 years before, that Bauls were able to draw people together through their energetic shakti and ecstatic charismatic chanting, singing and dancing. Dry scholarship and talking doesn't necessarily awaken people to a new movement. Sri Nitanyanda of Ekchakra Birbhum was a Vaishnava Baul and the ancestor of this lineage, he was elder to Sri Chaitanya. It was Nitanyanada who taught his Baul tradtion of kirtan, singing and dancing to Sri Chaitanya.

​Sri Chaityana started his Hari Krishna movement based on the ecstatic 'Hari Krishna Hari Ram' singing and dancing of the Vaishnava Baul of Birbhum. The Bauls would start with the Hari Krishna chant early in the mornings as a wakeup call announcing their presence to the villagers of Bengal, inviting them to listen and learn about spiritual life.

Lineage of KIRTAN

Authentic Baul is a rare, esctatic, super charged high speed internet super duper highway to ecstatic union, direct blissful Yoga and sweet heart-opening devotional singing and Baul Kirtan is full of ecstatic energy that turns even the hardest of hearts to honey, bringing the rasa of ananda (bliss) alive. There is layer upon layer of the heart Bauls awakens layers that one never thought existed, it is magical. Baul awakens a memory deep within the heart you do not have to understand but you must feel.Baul is a secret mystical Tantric esoteric super charged path.

Baul is a secret esoteric path a Baul will never tell you anything directly you must will learn through the practice of listening deeply. If you are fortunate to be with Baul over a lifetime if one is lucky you may grasp a drop, all the rest is just mere speculation. You will be tested every step of the way on this magical journey, the path is not straight it is crooked to prevent the people who are not prepared. Today everybody wants everything right here and now that is not the path of Baul because it is a super advanced path a way to easily reach God/dess but as we know nothing is really easy. It is not a beginners path, however, one can feel the energy and awaken quickly if the person calling themselves a Baul is actually a Baul.

The path of Love

The path of poetry, deep soul music, trance dance and sadhana

The path of ecstatic union

The path of everything as above so below

The path of humanity

The mysterious mystical inner path

The path of GRACE and Divine Love

The path of the Avadhut

The Mystic Tantric Path

The path of higher deep Yoga. The path beyond the Path

The bliss permeated Path

The path of Soul mates

The path of the Divine Feminine

The path of Shakti Sahana

Baul is the path of everything in the universe as above, so below, the path of poetry, all Bauls produce some kind of poetry, they are poetic storytellers, this is how they distill their teachings in simple poetic songs that hit the heart of everything the universe, there is nothing that is excluded.

Bauls play a one stringed trance inducing instrument called an ‘ektara’ also called the ‘Gopi Chand’ or ‘Gopi Yantra’ which is the Bauls symbol of peace and unity for all. A Baul plays a variety of instruments including a rare one or two stringed instrument called a ‘Gubgubi’ which Nabnai himself named the Ananada Laharimeaning ‘waves of bliss’. Baul is a Guru Shishya Parampara Sampradaya, they are sadhu's and belong to sadhu sangha which are called Akaras. There used to be 22 such sanghas, now there are only 2, they are almost extinct.

There is a lot of misinformation about the Bauls today, misrepresentations abound among a new generation of Baul singers, scholars, writers, documentary film makers, information found on wikipedia, Gurus from other sects including Osho who wrote many books on the Bauls and was deeply inspired by Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. All of them have completely missed the point of who these sweet devotional people are. They repeat the same thing over and over and it is not accurate. Many fakes are changing this beautiful tradition, they dress the part, singing out of tune trying to copy what can not be copied. Baul is only achieved through sadhana. The fake Bauls say they are sadhakas to attract students, some say they are sexual tantrics as sex always sells. This has gone on for a long time. Unaware foreigners attracted by sexual tantra of the west, and Indians attracted by the dream of sexual freedom, flock to Shantineketan. Yet the real Bauls are now almost extinct, and those that still remain, live marginalized.

​Bauls have been described as mad, Sai, Shah, Fakir, Dervish, Aula, Muslim, afflicted by the wind, illiterate, beggars and folk singers, yet they are none of the above. First of all Bauls were never beggars for anything but God/dess. A Baul would received Dakshina from the villagers for their wisdom and teachings. Bauls were farmers. They have survived for thousands and thousands of years, it is amazing that they survived through the British imposed famines in Bengal. which is a story These stories have started to be told regarding the 1940 second world war time of mass starvation's that occurred during the British imposed diversion of food crops to Europe where millions of Bengal's perished.Sahaja - Sufi - Buddhism - Islam - their relationship to Baul

Bauls accepted all but that does not mean they became the other, it does NOT mean they became Islamic or Buddhist. I can say this with confidence Bauls are not Islamic or Buddhist they are eclectic however, they are based on Santatn Dharma. Baul is a sect unto its own, they are Sahaja Vaishnava Baul and are some of the first Sufi"s and Baul on the planet.

Sahaja = Sufi Vaishnava Baul (Hindu Tantric Sufi) I am trying to put Baul in a category a box this is what we western's do. Bauls worship the Divine Feminine Shakti.

When I first met Babukishan he would always tell me that he was Sufi Baul or mention the name Sufi, he had some old posters from Sufi Books in New York where he had performed but I knew there was no Islamic Sufi affiliation withe Baul. It was confusing and had taken me a very long time to understand Babukishan was talking about a Sufi way before Islam existed a kind of Sufi that belongs to all the peoples of planet earth a Sufi that has no religious affiliation. Perhaps Sufi is a word like Shamanism and Baul also a term used to describe the earliest teachings of the peoples of planet earth and we can also, call this Sahaja.

It is very difficult to understand and describe Baul, it works directly on the heart of those who listen providing a type of psychic heart surgery lightening the soul.

What is Sahaja? What Sahaja is not?

Sahaja is similar to Sufi in meaning, it is an ancient high spiritual reality “Sahaja simply means natural and spontaneous. It not only implies natural spiritual levels, but on the mystic level of the miraculous. It means that easy or natural state of living without planning, design, contriving, seeking, wanting, striving or intention. It is that nature which, when once established, brings the state of absolute freedom and peace. Sahaja is a natural state which balances reality between the pairs of opposites and maintains harmony of the Cosmos.

Thus ‘sahaja’ expresses one who has reverted to his natural state, free from conditioning. It typifies the outlook which belongs to the natural, spontaneous and uninhibited man or women, free from innate or inherited defects.As such even nakedness of the avadhut is considered to be ‘sahaja’. By his own demeanor a Baul shows man’s instinct for naturalness and primordial perfection not only of the physical and spiritual level but at the mystical level. A parallel is made to plants and trees which do not grow according ‘svadharma’ or rules and obligations incurred at birth.

Nature only has ‘svabhava’ meaning its own inborn self or essence as its guidance. In other words ‘what is to come must come of itself’ to manifest in a state of absolute freedom. Taoism speaks of ‘sahaja’ as a highest virtue – the loss of the peculiar naturalness or unselfconsciousness. I have personal experiences with Taosim and my Master named his place of practice the same word as Sahaja but in Chinese name.

Bauls are considered to be Sahaja which means natural and spontaneous. It implies natural on the spiritual level and on the mystical level of the miraculous. It means that easy natural state of living without planning, design, contriving, seeking, wanting, or striving for attention. It is that nature which, when once established, brings the state of absolute freedom and peace. Sahaja is a natural state which balances reality between the pairs of opposites and maintains harmony of the Cosmos.

Sahaja is NOT, licentious, loose, lustful, lewd, salacious behavior as described by the orthodox Vaishnava coming out of Bengal and in Vrindavan. Sahaja is a Sanskrit word and those translations are completely wrong. To be sahaja is to hear, see, smell beauty in all things naturally, spontaneously. Sahaja is to be love (prema) unconditionally from the soul spontaneously and naturally it is not acting and faking devotion. Sahaja is a inner feminine way of being the "path of Radha" the inner soul. Sahaja is an elevated higher sattvic way of being. It is to move ones focus inward and not get stuck in rhetoric and the mind or of knowledge an opinions of others, especially the othodox who need you to pay for their temples and way of life. Sahaja. It is about having knowledge but not getting caught and hung up on knowledge, more specifically Sahaja is distilled knowledge which has become blissful wisdom.

One finds this state in an innocent child which is always in its ‘sahaja’ state unless interfered to by society. In his semi-naked state an sahaja avadut is just as unconscious of others nakedness as he was of his own.

“The person who has conquered the baser self and has reached to the level of self mastery: he is at peace, whether it be in cold or hot, pleasure or pain, honoured or dishonoured” – Bhagavad Gita. “ This is Sahaja the Bhagavad Gita and Vaishnavism is Sahaja in its pure unorthodox sitting on a throne form. It should be noted pure Gaudiya Vaishnavism always honored this family of Bauls.

There are perhaps hundreds if not thousands of pictures of this family preforming for them raising huge amounts of money for them. There has never been any debate about them not being ancestors of Sri Nityananda of Ekchakra? Their story has never been told and now with the internet many are making up stories. I hope this is sufficient and people start to understand what Sahaja is. Hey no worries Baul is seriously extinct what you see today is something similar to Yoga as modern postural yoga of the west, although much messier with bits and pieces of the puzzle but no authentic Baul left. Bauls were always very clean and sattvic there long hair clean well kept worn on top of their heads. Baul is a shadow of the past like most indigenous peoples of planet earth. Yes, the are indigenous peoples of Birbhum Rarh an ancient land they did not come from somewhere else or even Calcutta.

It is important to understand that Baul arrived before both Buddhism and Islam. Bauls are considered to be original Sufi before Muslim existed and Sufi in this context is Hindu or more appropriately called Sanatan Dharmic Sufi. Some say they are the very earliest Indian Sufi's but I do not like to use the word Sufi because there is so much debate about where Sufi is from and the Bauls of Bengal are not Islamic they sing some Islamic Sufi songs because they love all but that does not make them Islamic or Muslim. However, I must make it perfectly clear Sufi pre-dates Islam and Sufi in the context of Baul is not Islamic it is Sahaja (Sahajaya) Baul Sahaja is Universal Sufi.

The original Das and Dasi Kirtan singers from Rarh, the red soil called Birbhum

The Bauls were not British educated English speaking Christian Bengali's who learned Sanskrit after the fact. Vaishnava Bauls learned Sanskrit in the oral tradition by hearing and remembering from birth, which creates a person with a photo graphic memory. Bauls are the original Das and Dasi singers and dancers of Bengal, the original kirtanists from the red soil called Rarh. Many of their Kirtan's have been taken by the Orthodox New fundamentalist Vaishnava and claimed as their own? They use a degrading language to describe the Bauls and many other sects to raise themselves up higher than any other religion in the world this surely anyone can understand is most certainly not othodox is shows a lack of confidence and heart towards others. Yet they have no clue where their information and kirtan came from or the true stories.

KD Babukishan a Master of Indian Music

Babukishan is a master of India music classical, folk bhajan, kirtan, all music and his job for years was working for the biggest music companies in India categorizing all of the music of India, his description of kirtan is completely different from what is going on in the west. The west is chanting, kirtan is the telling of the stories of Krishna, Ram Shiva and Kali telling their stories in reverence and chanting. Kirtan is worship with reverence it is unheard of in his tradition for people to fall asleep on the floor.

It should be noted that Babukishan has recorded and produced the first recorded Hanuman Chalisa in India that is one of the most successful recordings of the Hanuman Chalisa played in all the temples in India the singer the late Hari Om Sharam. Babukishan has also, produced and recorded music by some of the Islamic Sufi greats including, Abida Parveen, Munni Begam, Allan Fakir, Nusrat Fateh Ali, Karim Khan, Majid Shola, and many more so he understands what is Muslim Sufi and what is Baul Sufi from experience not from books. He has recorded more Lalon Fakir songs than anybody and loves his poetry but still does not consider him to be a Baul. Babukishan has also, produced and recorded the biggest kirtan, bhajan singers in India including ... all those names I can not spell or say I will list them shortly.

Bauls were the biggest peacekeepers accepting all people. It should be understood that Baul is the path of the Avadhut always exploring and learning. They have many teachers but only one Guru. Understanding the history of Bengal is very important to understanding Baul. When Bengal was in strife under Islamic invasion they accepted Sufi into their fold. When Buddhists flowed into Bengal and were challenged by Brahamins, Bauls were the only people who gave them refuge and accepted them saving many from persecution. Baul is a sect onto its own based on Sanatan Dharma with a sprinkle of what are called Sufi and Buddhist practices. Please understand that it is also, said Sufi is based on Sanatan Dharma and was in India way before the Muslim's existed. Bauls have always been natural Indian Tantric Sufi's. A Baul will also say Buddha actually followed Shiva thus Shiva predating Buddha. Many of Baul practices are some of the earliest known before Buddha and before Sufi was ever attached to Islam in modern thought and modern times.Birbhum W Bengal is the birth place of "The Bauls of Bengal".​Stories abound about Bauls being from Persia, Uzbeckistan or Bangladesh, but many of these speculations are coming out of Bangladesh which is a Muslim country. They have somehow appropriated Baul culture and use this as a way to raise huge amount of money, apparently in order to preserve Baul Tradition as their ‘National heritage’. Baul tradition was born thousands of years ago and is indigenous to and originates from Birbhum Bengal. There were no Bauls in Bangledesh, even when Bangaldesh was Bengal they were not from the place now called Bangladesh. Baul has always been based on Sanatan Dharma, the eternal dharma of India as found in the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Puranic and Vedic wisdom. There were no Bauls in Bangladesh prior to the 1970's because Babu's mother Manju was a well know family in that area before it became Bangladesh.

Vaishnava Baul is the lineage of Krishna & Kali Kirtan. The Vaishnava Bauls are the original Kirtanists from the land of Rarh (red soil) which is Birbhum.

Kenduli Birbhum Bengal is the home of the Joy DEV Baul Mela. JOY Dev wrote the Gita Govinda about the love between Radha and Krishna.

This story comes from the oral tradition of the oldest living Baul lineage as told by Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul, a ‘Lineage Baul Guru’ and the only Baul Guru Scholar from inside the tradition of the Vaishnava Bauls of Birbhum Bengal. Babukishan has lectured all over the world for decades at the University level and has done Baul preformances on some of the biggest stages in the world since the 1970's.

Baul is not only an ocean of devotion but is also, an ocean of Indian Philosophy, Yoga, Tantra, Vedic, Puranic, and Upanishad wisdom. The title 'Baul' implies one is a Guru, Pandit, Acharya, an authority, they were the Shastra before books, they are oral storytellers, spiritual Bards, Bhakti Yogi's, Masters of Nada Yoga, and Vayu Dharma. However, being an oral tradition did not mean they didn't read Bengali and Sanskrit manuscripts and Shastra.

KD Babukishan was born in 1962 in Suri Bhirbhum W Bengal into the lap of Nabani Das Khappa Baul and his wife Brajabala Dasi. KD Babukishan is the birth son of Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi, however and for whatever reason he was left right after his birth to be raised by Sri Nabani, his Sat Guru and grandfather. Nabani and Brajabala raised their little grandson who was born premature with crooked limbs, it was thought he would die the next day. They named him Krishnendu (Krishna in Bengali). The name Babukishan was given to him by Mahesh Bhatt a Hindi film Director and Suraj Sanim one of the biggest Hindi film writers.

Tarapith - Authentic Tantric Sadhaha

Nabani was an adept sadhaka at Tarapith who had traveled as a sadhu tantric all over India living in the Himalaya's into Tibet he has lived in caves and was a great Yogi Tantric. Nabani took his sick tiny premature grandson with crooked limbs to Tara Maa right after he was born praying and begging for his life. Ayurvedic medicine, prayers and mantra were used to heal baby Krishnendu and his limbs were straightened through daily Ayurvedic massage given by Nabani and Brajabala Dasi. It should be noted that Nabani was a healer and he had healed thousands of people eveywhere he went, taking their karma and transmuting their karma.

Nabani knew the Tantra of alchemy and traditional herbs, he was a close friend of the famed Ayurvedic doctor and healer Dr. Kali Goti who also helped with healing Babu. Nabani was an adept at manifesting siddhi's, he knew all the Guru's, Saints, Siddhas, Yogis, Naths, Swamis, Sadhus, Sadhakas of the time and had them all give dharshan and blessings to his little baby Krishnendu. Babu went everywhere with Nabani and was a regular at Tarapith learning tantric and Baul sadhana. hanging out with the Gurus and Tantrics one could say he owes his life to Tara Maa and Kali Maa. The village Rakha Kali Maa temple where he played, was right beside the Ratha Yatra Cart with Radha and Krishna. The village favoured many gods. Babu saw and experienced a world that does not exist today, those times are gone. I specualate that perhaps this was Babu's karma and a continuation of his past life.

Nabani Das Khyappa Bauls Samadhi 1969

Nabani's samadhi was in 1969, when KD Babukishan was only 8 years old. He thought Nabani was his father, until he learned his real father was Nabani's eldest son Purna Das Baul who had since had two other sons that were raised outside the Baul tradition, in contemporary Calcutta. Most people on a path would agree that our family is not who we are. Guru is our real family if we are lucky to have one, Babu was lucky to have Nabani who left him his spark. Losing Nabani was to be the greatest loss of little KD Babukishan's life and the greatest loss to the whole Baul community. Nabani was not an ordinary Baul he was an extraordinary genius. Babukishan was by his side when he went into samadhi.

On his grandfather’s passing, KD Babukishan recalls: suddenly my grandpa reached out and gave me his hand at the same time a huge thunder cracked and filled the air with energy, my grandpa ' Boro Baba's' whole body turned a blue whitish an electric current shocked me and ran through my body at the same time automatically the tulsi plant fell over and the Bhagavad Gita sitting in the tulsi plant hit Boro Baba on his head, he was gone. He held my hand so tight I felt an electric current run through my body my third eye opened, I saw the universe my Boro Baba had given me what is called a Bramhma darshan. I felt a huge force of power and light in my body, I couldn't break free of Boro Baba's grip.

The Baul kirtan for Nabani went on for weeks, they chanted HARI KRISHNA HARI RAM for 8 days in a continuous flow, and then 6 more weeks taking breaks for some food and rest. Thousands of people came to pay their respects. Nabani was a famous father figure, Baul Guru of Birbhum, a state artist and the whole state of Birbhum was closed. He was burried in traditional Baul way, sitting in a padmasana.

Some time after his grandfather’s death, his Grandmother sent him to live in Calcutta with Purna Das Baul and Manju Dasi, his birth parents, as she felt he’d be better off there and that he needed to be educated. KD Babukishan's went from the highest energy and biggest love bliss to a material life in Calcutta and a family where he didn't fit in. He recalls how his mother Manju used to bribe him with cookies to call her Maa.Those days were hard for a little boy, suddenly surrounded by strangers, in the strange city, and before long, they packed him off to Ramakrishna Mission, where he remained for the following twelve years. Living there was tough, but the Swami’s there respected the Bauls, and often told him the story how Ramakrishna loved the Bauls, and said many times how he wanted to be born a Baul in his next life.

A New life in Calcutta - Ramakrishna Mission Babukishan's first trip oversee's London 1971

The family sometimes let him stay with them and even travel with them, touring with his father. When he was nine, they went to London and Europe on his first of many overseas trips. They went to perform at the fundraiser for Bangladesh in 1971, 1972, and 1978. There was a big group of Indian musicians who played at Hyde Park at the concert sponsored by the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. That is where he first met and became lifelong friends with George Harrison and the Rolling Stones. Later in 1986, George Harrison along with Ravi Shankar helped him publish his 3rd book on Bauls, now out of print. During that trip they traveled to Mick Jaggers place in Nice, France and where his father recorded with them for the album Jai Bangla. Mick Jagger was their limousine driver, and drove them from the airport to his place. In 2004 Babukishan returned the favor picking up Mick Jagger from the airport when The Rolling Stones performed in Mumbai.

Just as he was in the process of becoming a sanaysin, his father pulled him out of Ramakrishna Mission to work as his tour manager and it should be noted that Babukishan composed most of his fathers music as Krishnendu Das he was also, the youngest music composer in India at the time and was given awards for being the youngest and has a 40 years of award winning music composer. There were many good times and many difficult times with his Calcutta family and he left them for Mumbai after somethings that Babu didn't agree with but always supported them.

How to pronounce Baul

The easiest way to pronounce Baul is (Ba–oowl). Bauls are known as 'wind catchers' , the Masters of Pranayama which they call Vayu Dharma. Baul comes from the words Vayu (air) and Tula (to raise the vital air). Ba stands for Va in Bengali language. Bauls practice various yogic tantric techniques and their singing and mantric chanting. The aim of the Baul is God Realization & Self Realization in the human body, humanity is first and foremost to the Bauls – to be a good human, to realize God within this body temple.

Bauls practice techniques similar to Daoist Qigong. They are Masters of energy work and mysticism. They are visionary and communicate inward, it is a inner path. Inner ritual, Radha and Krishna reside in the alter of the heart this is where the Rasa Lila takes place. As an example of outer it would be the temple and book business and even sometimes even murti's. Remember a Baul does not reject therefore, they also worship murti's but they do not give much importance to outer it is accepted not rejected. I have been to every type of temple, church and even mosques around the world with Babukishan that is what we do. However it is not Babu's dream to be in the temple business, it is his dream to have an ashram to preserve and educate about Baul and folk music, Indian music. His dream is music, Indian music is born in him, his education is music, his career is music, you can take the Baul out of India but you can not take the MUSIC out of the Baul.

Pioneering only Legendary BAULS

Purna Das Baul is the first famous Indian Vocalist to come to America. First arriving in 1967 on a tour from San Francisco to New York staying in Woodstock NY at Bob Dylan's home as guests of Sally and Albert B Grossman (Bob Dylans manager). The recorded music from that time is called 'Bauls at Big Pink'. Purna Das Baul and his brother the late Laxshman Das Baul who was a much loved Baul a Bob Marley of the Bauls appeared on the cover of Bob Dylan's Legendary album John Westly Harding, Bob Dylan was a super fan of Lakshman Das Baul. Sally Grossman has remained a loyal a very dear friend of the Bauls and Laxshman Das Baul since 1967. At 81 years of age Lashman Das Baul passed away in April 2015 ending a legendary period of Baul history.

Please note it was the early 1950's when Purna Das Baul first traveled outside of India, he went to Russia. This family started the tradition of Bauls traveling outside of India it is not their traditional custom.

The Bauls at Big Pink produced by Al Aronowitz the father of Rock Journalism and another beloved friend of Babu's who passed in 2004, Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson of the Band 1967 / The photo of Nabani Das Khyappa Baul was taken by Rabindranath Tagore. The Bauls on this album are Purna Das Baul and Lakshman Das Baul

Baul Samarat (King of the Bauls) Purna Das Baul at 82 years old has recieved the highest awards as a vocalist in India including many President Awards, Padma Shri and a rare award from the JAGANATHA TEMPLE called 'Nada Brahma Award' which only 3 have received including the much celebrated Ravindra Jain and Lata Mangeshakar. This family of Vaishnava Bauls are celebrated at the Jaganatha Temple in Orissa they know they are ancestors of Nityananda, Jai Nitai.

Allen Ginsberg's 'Guru' was Nabani Das Baul, Ginsberg first met Nabani in the early 1960's while traveling in Bengal. Nabani Das Baul is the only Baul Guru that Allen Ginsberg had, I keep reading how Ginsberg was associated with Lalon Fakir which is a complete fabrication his Baul Guru was Nabani Das Khyappa Baul. Ginsberg became a very dear friend of KD Babukishan he knows all the stories about Ginsberg and any association and inner feelings of his relationship between Ginsberg and Nabani Das Baul. Babu visited Ginsberg every year in New York from the 1980's until Ginsberg passed they were great friends perhaps meeting 100's of times, they are both poets and have a love for Nabani Das Baul. Ginsberg is the one who insisted to Sally and Albert B Grossman (Bob Dylan's manager) to bring Nabani to America, however, in 1967 Nabani's health was failing and he sent his two son's Lakshman Das Baul and Purna Das Baul.

Nabani had also spent a lifetime of traveling throughout India, meditating in the Himalaya's and Tibet and associated with many Guru Bai's and high level adepts many miraculous stories to be told. In 1962 when Babukishan was left with Nabani and Brajabala he stopped traveling. He was addicted to his grandson and considered him to be his Bala Krishna, he also called Babu, Prem and kept him with him all the time.

Kshiti Mohan Sen was a well-known scholar of ancient and medieval India and close associate of Rabindranath Tagore served as the Vice Chancellor of Visva-Bharati University in Santineketan for years. Kshiti Mohan Shastri described Nabani Das Baul "the last real true Baul" he wrote a book on Baul and regarded Nabani as the greatest ocean of intelligence he was as a huge admirer of Nabani. Kriti Mohan Sastri is the Grandfather of Armarta Sen a Professor, Economist and Philosopher living in New York.

KD Babukishan walks between worlds in a true tantric form with one foot in the spiritual world and one foot firmly on earth, in the world but not of the world. He is a highly awarded Bollywood Indian Cinema Music Composer, Indian Music Producer, a Master of Indian Music, Classical, Folk, Bhajan, and Kirtan composing scores for 150 films, Film Designer, Film Maker, he has recorded and worked with the who is who of Indian music and Western music.

KD Babukisha was raised a Baul and spent 12 years as a Ramakrishna monk in Calcutta, BA in Indian Philosophy, MA of Indian Music from Calcutta University, Poet, the first Baul to be educated in the oral tradition and outside. A Sanskrit Scholar from the Oral Tradition, Sanskrit Education at the Masters level and because of his love of Sanskrit he spent countless years learning from Dr. Roma Chowdhri who was like a mother to Babu she was a legendary world renowned Bengali Sanskrit scholar who dedicated her whole life to Sanskrit.

Baukishan now lives in Vancouver Canada with me Trishula his Moner Manush wife and partner of almost ten years, traveling back and forth to India. Babu's life changed dramatically when he was in the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia where he witnessed, tens of thousands of souls leaving Bhumi Maa all at once, one of Maa's biggest smashen grounds. He has lived through the 1971 war between Bengal and Bangladesh, he has lived through many many terrorist attacks in Mumbai and lived many lifetimes in this one lifetime. Babu's main cause has always been to preserve his Baul tradition and it has been proven a difficult task it seems that over many decades his dream, all of his time and energy have been thwarted by his Calcutta family and many other road blocks, but he never gives up.

"The way my braid is, that’s how it will stay.I’ll get into the water, I’ll splash water around, but I won’t get my hair wet.I’ll swim about this way, and that way.I’ll dive into the water, and won’t listen to what people say.I’ll enjoy myself but not suffer because of it.Gosain Rasaraj says: “Listen, my friend , that beauty leaves me speechless".I won’t be chaste; I won’t be unchaste.I won’t leave my Lord". Famous Baul song (poetry) by Rasaraj Gosai (Nabani Das Baul's elder brother)Not getting ones hair wet means to remain unattached do it, do everything but do not remain attached to the event or outcome give your attachments to Krishna.

​Bauls songs are metaphorically coded. It is really hard to translate Bengali or Sanskrit into a one worded English translation and sometimes even impossible, there is assumed one knows all of Yoga and Tantra because each song is many discourses all in a simple song and sometimes you do not need to understand, you can listen and just get in it on a very deep level, the songs awaken a person to understanding. It is very subtle but a memory deep within your heart will understand.

The Joy Dev Baul Mela is held here the Vaishnava Bauls attend ever year to do puja to the great poet (kavi) Joy Dev. The bridge going across the Ajoy river is named Nabani Setu after Nabani Das Baul. The mela is completely different today, the Bauls have been marginalized and pushed out by the new kirtan singers. The Bauls honour Joy Deva and the love he had for his soul mate Padmavati because Bauls believe in Soul Mates as Radha and Krishna live and dance in their hearts, this is the real Rasa Lila dance.By Trishula Das http://www.sutrajournal.com/vaishnava-bauls-of-birbhum-bengal-by-trishula-das

Copyright all rights reserved 2016by Trishula Das PLEASE do not copy and paste, then cut the names off.

Copyright all rights reserved 2016

If not for Baul Saint Nabani Das Kyappa Baul, Purna Das Baul and Maju Dasi, Lakshman Das Baul and Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul there would be no one in this world who would know anything about Baul.

Babukishan should be given an oscar or an equivalent reward because if not for him no one would know anything about Baul. He created most of the relationships and maintained them for his Baul family, he has never asked for acknowledgement but I am saying after hearing what he has done for Baul. He is the first Baul author writing 3 books on Baul in the 1980's, the last one in 1986 was published with the help of George Harrison and Ravi Shankar. George Harrison was Babu's person friend. Ravi Shakar was a family friend he has known since childhood, Babu was best friends with Ravi Shakar's only son.

This lineage are the pioneers who brought Baul to the world. Today some 50 or 60 years later some Bauls are trying to do what they have done and that is a good thing they have been inspired by this lineage the oldest living lineage of Baul, however, the copying and deleting of this lineages names and then just listing them just as the Bauls of Bengal who were associated with Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan, George Harrison and more.

I have seen article after article on the net saying Bauls even received a Padma Shri Award, no Bauls did not a Baul did and his name is Sri Purna Das Baul, please use the names of the Baul and when saying Bauls were associated with Tagore, it was only Nabani Das Khyappa Baul.

Bauls were not associated with any of the below, it was only this family of Bauls the oldest living lineage and the Bauls who brought Baul to the world.

Please do not use what they have done and then generically say Bauls did.

If you were the Prime Minister of India would all chai walla's take credit and say Chai Walla's are Prime Minister of India?

This lineage and family are the only Bauls who have associated with, when you read Bauls associated with Bauls did not only Babukishan and family did. Bauls in general as posted on the internet did not. I t should read Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das or Purna Das Baul or Nabani Das Baul associated with|:

Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul is the only BAUL who has worked in Indian Cinema and Bollywood for 30 years in a big big way. He has, recorded composed and produced most of his father's music without taking credit or any payment, he did everything for his Calcutta family for free and gave them everything and in return they delivered negative prayers. A negative prayer is the opposite of being a well wisher.

All will be told in our upcoming book which is almost, ready for printing. There will be two books "The Rasa Lila Mystics" on this lineage and another book about Babukishan's life Baul to Bollywood to Canada and it will be unplugged.

THE TRUE STORY OF THE ONE AND ONLY LINEAGE OF BAULS OF BENGAL, BOOK RELEASE AFTER 30 YEARS COMING 2018.

PLEASE STAY TUNED. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL CLARIFY WHAT IS BAUL AND WHAT IS NOT? NEW BAUL SINGERS ARE CHANGING THE AUTHENTIC INTO MADE UP STORIES.

Copyright 2000 -2018

WWW.BABUKISHAN.ORG

This BLOG is the CREATION, including all writing done by TRISHULA SANDRA DAS, who am I? I am Babu Kishan's wife. I have recorded and lived his story for more than 12 years 24/7.

www.goddessvidya.com

® Registered.

http://babukishan.org

www.babukisha.ca

babuksihanproductions@gmail.com

trishuladas@gmail.com

or babukishan@yahoo.com

Baul Scholar, of the Oldest Living Lineage of Bauls of Bengal

ancestor and lineage of Sri Nityananda of Ekkchaka West Bengal, and thousands of generations before.

This is the oldest living lineage of Baul on earth. Babukishan is the only Baul living in North America now residing between Mumbai and Vancouver Canada.

BA Indian Philosophy, Kolkata UniversityMA Indian Music, Kolkata University

"Master of Baul, Indian Classical, Indian Folk, Baul Fusion, World music and Indian Cinema Music"

Babu Kishan Das born 1962 in Suri, Birbhum, West Bengal, India into the legendary Nabani Das Baul's family and the Baul lineage of Sri Nityananda of Ekkchakra West Bengal in the 1500's, Sri Nityananda was a Baul this is recorded in the oral lineage and written lineage. This is the Baul lineage who introduced Baul to the world starting back in the1940's & 1950's, they are the pioneering family, if not for them no one would even know who the Bauls are? This lineage is the root of the Baul tradition. They opened the door for all future Bauls to carry on the Baul tradition around the world. This lineage and family has been performing on the biggest of world stages, festivals, lecturing at Universities, around the world for more than 60 years.

Babukishan is a Lineage Baul, music composer, music director from India, he was born into a family of music, poetry and Indian Philosophy, he has composed over 150 musical scores, and produced some 44 albums, He has composed and recorded most of his father's music.

In 2007 Babukishan was awarded a Lifetime Achievment award for his contribution to Indian Cinema.

Vaishnava Baul is an oral tradition, the stories are recorded in the songs. Babu is the eldest son of Purna Das Baul and the late Manju Dasi. Manju Dasi is the first Women Baul to travel the world starting back in the 1960's until the mid 2000's she traveled every corner of the globe and performed on every stage, her story is truly what legends are made of. Manju was an extremely talented musician, an HMV/EMI and Polydor artist. Manju was the first Female Baul (Baulini) and perhaps the only to date to be a"A class female Baul singer in India" she was the first Baul to introduce Harmonium to Baul, before her the Bauls did not use the harmonium. Manju was the first Baul to introduce official Lalon Fakir songs to Radio, TV, recordings and film.

Babukishan was traditionally trained in the oral tradition of his Baul lineage in Sanskrit, he learned this from his grandfather and others in his Baul family, learning by hearing and remembering, "this is the way it was done before books, it is called having the lineage passed to you orally, as in storytelling." As a inborn mystic and musician he started composing music, and writing poetry before he went to grade school.

Babu spent 12 years in the Ramakrishna Order as a Vedic Monk, where he learned book knowledge to go with his oral teachings. Babu says, "he does not trust books, they are fine but they leave out important information and are mostly personal opinion depending on the translators agenda."

It is a paradox, books are good, however, all of India's knowledge was an oral tradition where people dedicated their lives to keep, preserve, pass on and hold the spiritual knowledge of India within family lineages. Guru is the way but today there are very few qualified Guru's, or qualified disciples.

How can one trust a Guru there are so many taking advantage, Guru's are big business, making more money than any Bollywood star. He has seen his share of failed Bollywood actors ect.. turn to the Guru business. Commitment between Guru and disciple is endless and strong Unless one has a Guru books only give a small sample of the story, there are layers upon layers that are passed down Guru to Disciple.

The problem in finding a Guru is, you will be tested, the question should be, "Am I a disciple?" to be a disciple is a huge commitment. Most of us just want to have fun, feel good, and be God/intoxicated, unfortuatly the Guru/Disciple is not fun, or easy and is not a feel good experience all the time because you will be shown all those place that we avoid? Who wants to sit and do the work, the sadhana that is involved, most of us would just rather not.

Babukishan's Baul Guru's are "Baul Saint" Sri Nabani Das Kyappa Baul, Brajabala Dasi, Purna Das Baul, his aunt Radharani Dasi and many others from this lineage. Some of the other saints and guru's he had personal relationships and his favorites were Ananadamayi Ma, Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath and many other unknown to the western world.

He has associate with many stories of others, like Balakbramhachari, Maha AnandaMaharaj, Sathya Sai Baba, Dhirndra Bramhacharya, Osho, Sant Nirankari, The Shankaracharya's of India, including many unknown in the West ...Baba's and Ma's because Babu started traveling India and being exposed to all first through his grandfather a wandering Avadhuta Baul Saint and then through his famous father Purna Das Baul traveling the world many times from age 10 on ward now for 40 years as a Cultural Representative of India.

His musical repertoire is like the who is who of Indian music from lineage teachers of Indian music, and the best coming out of Bengal to the best of Indian Cinema or (Bollywood.)

BabuKishan is probably one of the very few living authentic authorities alive today regarding the Bauls. He is starting to speak now because he is seeing a prolific amount of mis-information on Baul by the many scholars, PhDs, new Bauls singers and writers who are lacking information in what the authentic Baul lineage is really about. Each day he see's another story or more speculation on who the Bauls are, it is almost becoming a joke.

Nabani Das Baul his grandfather named Babukishan, "Krishnendu" he kept Babu the moment he was born, with massage and Ayurveda he was able to straighten tiny Krishnendu's crooked limbs. Krishnendu was his Baby Krishna and he took his Krishna everywhere with him, as he wandered India. Babu spent the first 8 years of his life in the highest of spiritual energies and his grandfather left him a huge spark of himself when he passed away.

Baul really started to change over the past 30 years with the influx of foreigners, hippies, Bangladesh refugee's into Shantiniketan. Many refugee's and others who saw being a Baul as a way to earn a living started to turn Baul into begging and a great way to make a living without doing sadhana, dress the part, sing a folk song, being a Baul became a great way to survive. Baul's were offered Dakshina as Guru's and spiritual messengers. Today they deserve to be paid appropriately for the grace and musical skill they bring, Bauls should not be used or asked to perform for free when the world has changed, so should how we treat the Bauls change.

It also is the fault of his own lineage but you can not blame them as Bauls have always been used and marginalized. Bauls do not share openly, and times have changed, the correct information on lineage Baul needs to be passed on as accurately as possible or it will be gone forever, and Baul will just be a tourist attraction. Being from North America it reminds me of the rich culture of the North American idigenous people and how their shamanic traditions, are also suffering the same fate.

Baul is a "Guru" based tradition, oral living lineage tradition, the lineages were passed down in familes this is common knowledge in India. This is how Baul was passed from father to son, mother to daughter, however, Bauls always included all and it was not uncommon for a Baul to take someone into their family.

There is a huge misunderstanding on what Baul is because there were in the past many people wandering through Bengal when the first writers started to speculate about the nature of Baul. They lumped all these wandering souls together under one umbrella calling them all Bauls but in fact very few of them were actually Bauls. Fakir, Sai, Aula, Dervish, Shah actually are not Baul. Only a Lineage Baul knows exactly what a Baul is, not a scholar or a new Baul singer, the account of Baul history comes from "inside" the tradition not from "outside" the tradition or from speculation. Speculation about the Bauls has gone on from the beginning of time and it continues today, all one outside the tradition can do it but speculate. Scholars from outside the tradtion can only speculate.

Baul songs are not folk songs, they are spiritual sadhana's and one must complete difficult sadhana's before one can call oneself a Baul. There is a misconception that singing folk songs on a train or on a street is Baul.. Baul is a difficult sadhana learned under a Guru for years and years or perhaps a whole lifetime. There is no I am initiated ... the initiation into Baul goes on for a lifetime.

Baul is about the SOUL, pure LOVE, Monar Manush as in ecstatic union with the divine in the highest of loves, the love between Krishna and Radha as soul mates. Bauls do not worship the body for mundane purposes. The body is worshiped as the temple for the divine, the soul is situated in the human heart, Radha and Krishna live in the "altar of the heart with the soul in the human body."

Vaishnava Bauls are the original Das and Dasi, Gosai, (Goswami) lineage in West Bengal India. They have been singing the Hare Krishna Mahamantra for thousands of years wandering from village to village, as the morning wake up call to the people of the villages, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna... Bauls believe in Monar Manush in soul mates. Krishna's flute is always calling Radhe ..Radhe..Radhe and because of Radha's connection to Krishna and their love for each other Radha and Krishna are the original soul mates. Bauls know all the philosophical arguments, they are Indian philosophers, they just have a rare take on all the pedantic othodox bantering.

Love and Devotion, Traditional Bhakti Yoga, Kirtan, ecstatic song and dance. Bauls are natural, spontaneous Bhakti Yogi's, Poets and Philosophers. The soul is not in the temple the soul is in the human body residing in the heart. Bauls do not believe in caste, creed, they believe in the Soul. Ask your soul?? the body will lie, the mind will lie but the soul will tell you the truth.

Most of the people writing about Babu's lineage either cut and paste from internet or are talking to the wrong Bauls and new Bauls singers who are not trying to preserve the lineage they just want to travel, or create something new. At this point The Bauls of Bengal are almost extinct and it is time to preserve what is real it is not a time to make it up. Perhaps the New Bauls are saying they want to preserve Baul however, how can you preserve something you do not own. A gift is given by the owner of the gift, as in Sampradaya, or lineage. If the gift has not been given by a lineage Baul how can something that you do not own or have be given to other.

That respect also should also include who wrote the songs that Bauls are singing? Most do not even know where the songs came from, who wrote the songs.. they do not even know the history of Baul.That love and respect include acknowledging the Baul Guru's of the past as in Nabani Das Khyappa Baul and those who walked before him. One by one we will be writing about each and every Baul back to Sri Nityananada and beyond.

Most teachers passing on Baul are only passing on the limited information that they have picked up here and there. I am a researcher and I ask Babu who is this, who is that, this Baul is saying this person is their Guru, who is that, and he knows the whole history of who everybody is, where they came from, how they got involved in Baul, he knows what songs they are singing, who wrote the song, and more importantly whether it is a folk song, a Baul song and sometimes they are even singing Bollywood songs?

These neo Bauls today are just making a mess of what Baul is, they lack sadhana and the god intoxication the energy that come from doing Baul Sadhana. Baul is not about singing folk songs it is sadhana, years and years of sadhana. Babu has been preserving his lineage for 40 years and has seen it all. The most recent wave is that Baul is only about sufi, or that Baul orginates in Bangladesh and Persia? Baul is about neo tantric sex and smoking ganja?

Baul has become just one big regular party, the few real authentic Bauls are not to be seen or will not share anything.

It is not easy to be a Baul, it takes at least 12 years 24/7 under a guru. Not too long ago there used to be 22 Baul ashrams now there are only 2. Bauls do not build temples, raise money for temples, or collect devotee's as in orthodox religions.

Babu's family has been singing to help out so many groups, and temples ect.. helping fund raise money for their causes, giving free performances for years and years.

Now the Bauls need help, I pray these groups will also come to the assistance of the Bauls through the Ektara Foundation. We are now fund raising to preserve this lineage, through the Ektara Foundation and the Bhava project (Baul Historical Ashram and Vedic Academy).

The real authentic Bauls are in deep danger of extinction. The poor Baul children need education, food, medicine and we want to pass on this tradition properly to them so at least they can preserve and have right livelyhood. This is our seva, more information to come, please stay tuned. We are in the beginning phases of setting this up, it will under Babukishan's name with a board of directors.

Babukishan under the name Krishnendu Das is the author of 3 books on Baul printed in the 1980's to be republished and expanded soon. George Harrison and Ravi Shankar helped him publish his last book in 1986, all to be republished soon.

Babu was raised in the village by his grandparents"Baul Saint Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul and Brajobala Dasi." Babu lived a lucid life in the highest of spiritual energy, and was initiated by most of the Saints, Sadhu's, Siddha's, Guru's, Yogi's, Tantrics, Nath's, Avadhuta's, that lived during the 60's, & 70's,80's, 90's, most who have left this earth long ago and many who are completely unknown outside of India.

Nabani Das Baul was an accomplished "exalted Tantric Avadhuta Baul Saint" accomplished in the Bhakti Sadhana's of Krishna and and Avadhuta Sadhana's of Shiva and Kali (Tara Ma) he was a famed Baul Guru Poet who millions of people came to see from all over India, he is also one of the Guru's who little has been written about because his nature was to keep private.

Nabani Das Baul inspired everyone from Rabindranath Tagore to "American Poet Allen Ginsberg who claims Nabani as his guru, he inspired common people to the highest intellectuals. Nabani Das Baul was the first and last Guru to teach Baul philosophy at Rabindranath Tagore Vishva Bhartai University in Shantineketan and was Rabindranath's Baul. Tagore gave Nabani Das the name "Khyappa" he was the first Baul to be called this now many are calling themselves this name. Nabani gave Tagore the name Robi (Ravi) Baul.

You can hear all the Bauls singing Nabani's compositions, however, you will not hear them acknowledge his songs, in the 70's new Baul singers arose who were jealous of Purna Das Baul and his fame as millions would come and see him, some even tried to kill him by poisoning him almost to death, this started a movement away from the truths of the lineage, new Bauls were creating new stories and promoting that Baul is about neo tantric sex and creating new lineages that did not exist before?

Babu is a poet, composing an unlimited amount of poetry from standard 1 onward. His poetry was published in all Bengali magazines under his name Krishnendu and pseudo names for years. He was known as a great romantic poet who attracted untold attention at a very early age. He is first Baul to compose Fusion Music, His compostitions made it easier for other Bauls to experiement.

As a composer Babu has worked with all the top Indian musicians, singers, and legendary Indian music guru's. He spent 13 years with RD Burman in Mumbai. Total 30 years in Indian Cinema composing Bollywood music, meeting all of the Bollywood legends, promoting Bollywood singers, again promoting others, and completely forgetting to promote himself. Babu worked behind the scenes and is the most well know person behind the scenes in Bollywood. This is a book in and of itself.

Babu Kishan is a unique intangible masterpiece of Bengali History, he is a rare gem, multi talented and an ocean beyond ocean of knowledge. He is the encyclopedia of Bengali, Bollywood, Indian Philosophy, Indian history with a photographic memory. A yogi who believes one must be in the world and not of the world. Times are changing fast! A Baul is for the world, and has an important message of peace, and unity.

by Trishula Sandra Das, his wife, supporter, and Baul transcriber for over twelve years 24/7 !

Babu Kishan (The Bauls of Bengal) - After clicking, Video appears, top right hand corner of blog.

EKTARA Foundation is a Non profit Organization for the preservation and translation of their songs and practices. This one and only ancient Oral living lineage of The Bauls of Birbhum Bengal under the Direction of Krishnendu Das Baul aka Babukishan. Baul is already preserved and was recorded decades ago. Now we need to translate and protect. How else would the new Bauls be singing the songs if they were not recorded and this has proved a great problem because most new Baul singers do not know the poets and are making up stories, watering down and reducing this lineage so that they may attain fame.

Baul should only be preserved by Lineage Baul, there are many copying what we are doing. All of sudden fake lineages are coming out of the woodwork and they say they are fundraising in the name of Baul. There is only one lineage of Baul, the rest are making up stories, use your discernment.

Babukishan is the only one representing his lineage, not his brothers nor his 84 year old father these days. Please use your discernment when supporting someone who says they are a lineage Baul or preserving Baul and know Baul is already preserved by this the only Lineage of Baul. We started this project back in 2008 and Babu started preserving his dear Baul back in the 1970's.

"BAUL Historical Ashram & Vedic Academy" BHAVA"

(Preserving a traditional authentic Living Baul Lineage of Bengal India)

International Baul Ashram

Most new Baul singers are singing regular Folk Songs, there needs to be a place to education and Baul Sadhana a place for philosophical discourse... They also need a place to perform, to survive in this world, they need education, medical care, and food. They need hope, there is too much poverty, they need a solid ground to stand on in this changing world.

This was Babu's dream years ago but due to difficult family karmas he was not able to complete this now is the time for a Baul ashram in Santinekatan, and one outside of India. This is our Cause, so that the Bauls are given a chance at an authentic education.

BabuKisha has been traveling, preserving, promoting his "only" Lineage Baul for more than 40 Years.

www.babukishan.org Krishnendu Das Baul, aka Babu Kishan, is from an Authentic Oral Living Lineage Vaishnava Baul Lineage. The Lineage Bauls are from Bengal, and are Vaishnava, they always have the name "Das or Dasi" in their name, actually a Das or Dasi Baul is always Vaishnava first. The Bauls, who are Fakir, Aul, or Sai, Dervesh, are "Bauls of Bangladesh", they align themselves with the great poet of Bangladesh," Lalon Fakir, who originates from the 1800's.."whom the Bauls of Bengal also love. Lalon Fakir was born a Hindu, but was taken in by a muslim family. The difference is in that the Lineage Bauls have been around for thousands of years, and although they embrace pearls of Buddhism, and Sufi.Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare || Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare || हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे || हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे||

K D Babukishan's beloved Grandpa Guru Baul Saint Avadhuta Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul, the Name Khyappa was given to Nabani Das by Rabindranath Tagore, Nabani was Tagore's Baul Guru and he named Tagore Robi (Ravi) Baul. Nabani Das Khyappa Baul is the first Baul to be called Khyappa Baul, now many are following in his footsteps and calling themselves Khyappa. Tagore also took pictures of Nabani and had a stature made in his honour. He is the first and last Baul to teach at Tagore's university in Shantinekitan... When Tagore is talking about Baul it is Nabani Das he is talking about...Nabani never wanted to be found or known... He was a real sadhaka..Some say Bauls are beggars but this is not true.. they do not have temples nor do they collect devotee's... Bauls are free, free birds, they believe and worship Radha and Krishna in the soul... They worship the soul, the most high, they are God intoxicated, it is wrong when one says they worship only he body..The Body is the temple, the soul is inside the body..The voice is the insturment, music is the way..Baul songs, Baul kirtan, Bhajanas, mantra, bija mantras, Bauls are the original Hare Krishna singers and dancers of West Bengal India..

Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul & his wife Brojabala Dasi, Babu's grandparents & Guru, these are the true lineage of Baul...Das Gosai, they are Brahmin caste, even though Baul is said to not have caste, however, the lineage bauls are brahmin, that is why they speak sanskrit, but they do not show it.. Nabani Das took the Gosai part off of his name because he never wanted anybody would touch his feet..Touch your own feet, bow to the divine within yourself.

"Baul Saint Guru Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul" Wandering exalted Avadhuta Baul - Bauls are poets, philosophers, they spoke sanskrit, this is how they passed along the oral tradition for thousands of years, then singing the songs in Bengali to the people of the villages. They have roots, deep roots in the soil of Indian philosophy from the soil of Bengali. Maybe the new age Baul singers do not have roots but the lineage Bauls have thousands of year of deep roots recorded in their songs.

Legendary Brajabala Dasi My Guru!

Babu Kishan's beloved Grandma (GURU) Brajabala Dasi, JAI GURU!!!! NAMAH NAMAH!!!! Babu says, he is lucky to have been born, to have grown up around the original lineage Vaishnava Bauls and Baul Saints in a very Spiritual atmosphere, this does not exist anymore. There are very few if any authentic Bauls left, they are extinct in the oral tradition and this is the only Lineage of Bauls there is no other, there never was. The women Bauls in my family including my grandmother Brajabala Dasi, my Aunts and my mother Manju Dasi, my Great Aunts Phulorani Dasi ,Radharani Dasi, Chintamoni Dasi, Triguna Dasi, were real sadhika's, similar to Mira Bai Sadhana, it is not easy, they are very rare, and the last Baulini's, they do not exist today." .... Rabindranath Tagore said, Nabani Das Baul is the last real Baul."Tagore said Nabani was a "Baul Saint." This Golden time is gone, now all we can do is follow them. There is no such thing as a legendary Baul today.. Even my mother Manju Dasi was a legendary as she traveled the world for 50 years..Today people try to be real but it they can not even compare to the lives of these women and who they were, all we can do is try to follow them. Their stories will be told these amazing women Bauls, Gosai Dasi Baulinin Women..

Birbhum West Bengal the soil of Mystic Baul Lineage

Babukishan in Haridwar India

Babukishan at the Vedanta Society in Los Angeles, he was a Vedic Monk Ramakrishna Order for12years

Vedic Monk for 12 years in Kolkata, BA Indian Philosophy, MA Indian Music Kolkata University.

A typical Baul village in Birbhum West Bengal

Bauls of West Bengal

Babu's Baul Logo

Tribal women from Bengal

Radhabinode Temple in Kenduli Birbhum the Bauls have a mela here called the Jayadev Mela.

The Bauls hold the Gita Govinda of Jayadeva in high esteem whether he is form Orissa or not.

Babukishan produced CD in honor of Sai Baba.

The last book Babu published in 1986

Laxshman Das Baul

Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul making Ektara's

Bauls at the Big Pink in Woodstock 1967, the photo is Nabani Das Baul

Sri Chaitanya and Sri Nityananda who was a Baul

Baul of Bengal Stamp

Nabani Das Khyeppa Baul

Manju Das, Purna Das and Babu @ UCLA 80's

Babukishan Laguna Beach California 2008

The Mystic Bhakti of a Living Master.

Babukishan in Rishikes @ Sitaram Omkarnathji's ashram 2007.

Bengal Baul music with Purna Das Baul and others.

Purna Das Baul, Manju Dasi, Krishnendu Das Baul aka Babukishan

Sri SitaRam Das Omkar Naths Ashram in Rishikesh

Krishna lives in the heart of the Baul, they worship Krishna in a inner natural way. There love of Krishna is a God intoxicated Love, they are the original Hare Krishna Maha Mantra singers, and dancers, the original Das, & Dasi, of West Bengal. They are Rasa Lila Mystics. Monar Manush, soul mates..

Babu with his Khol in Hyde Park before concert at Royal Albert Hall

Babu Kishan @ The Roundhouse 2009 Vancouver

Nabani Das Khyappa Baul phot by Rabindranath Tagore.

SitaRam Das Omkar Nath ashram outside of Rishikesh

Babu with George Harrison who published Babu's book.. The Bauls of Bengal 1985

Krishna turns himself into Kali because Radha's husband is wondering where she is going, he see's her as worshipping kali for the family.. If Kali is Ok for Krishna to turn himself into, and for Radha to worship she is good enough for everybody.. The Bauls worship Kali also.

Babu's tradition Baul album called Gypsy Indian

Bauls do not like male power trippers, rules & regulations, but that does not mean they do not know the rules of the universe. They understand ayurveda, the science of life, the science of life, the principles of yoga, and all things Indian, they are not Pedantic.

Babu's book published under his name Krishnendu Das , Babu has been preserving his lineage for 40 years now, if it were not for Babu, nobody would know about the Bauls of Bengal..

Sri Nityananada .. was a Baul, if you notice he always has hair, there are songs in the oral tradition that verify this.. He is from Babu's lineage of the original Hare Krishna singers and dancers, he met Sri Chaitanya first and was his best friend, he gave the Maha mantra to Chaitanya and taught him how to chant and dance... this has been the Baul way for thousands of years...it was a part of Nityananda's life from birth. History has been distorted, and stories retold because of ambitious new age Vaishnava reformers, Jai Nitai... Nityananada was a Baul.

Beloved Sai Baba, he was very similar to Baul in that he embraced everyone. Babu feels his grandfather in Sai Baba

Baul fusion, Mystic Sacred Song, Soul Mat by Universal

Babu in Rishikesh 2007 at the SitaRam Das Omkarnath Ashram

Babu at Pous Mela.. Pous Mela in Shantinekatan was created by Rabindranath Tagore in honor of Babu's grandfather Sri Nabani Das Baul. People come from all over the world to attend this Mela.

Tara Ma Tarapith Ma, Shyama Ma,

Kolkata, West Bengal

In the villiage where Babu is from they had a huge Ratha Yatra cart, they worshiped Jaganatha, next to the Jaganatha temple was a Kali temple.. they embraced both.. Baul loves all.

Dakinishwar Temple outside of Kolkata, West Bengal.

Vaishnava Bauls have worshiped Radha/Krishna for 5000 years since the beginning of the story, this particular lineage is the lineage of the Great Baul Avadhuta Saint, Sri Nityananada Mahaprabu Baul, the untold story, Nityananda was a Baul, the history of this is recorded in the songs of the Baul oral living lineage, Jai Nitai, this lineage is the original lineage of Das, and Dasi..

Babu with the Khol, his mother Manju Das, father, 2 brothers, many years ago.

Babu Kishan's Guru, Baul Saint, Avadhuta Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul, photo taken by Rabindranath Tagore who was a very close associate of Nabani, he created the Pous Mela in honor of Nabani Das, and there is a bridge there he also named in honor of him, called Nabani Setu. Rabindranath gave Nabani the name Khyappa Baul, Nabani influenced alot or Rabindranath's poetry, Nabani gave him the name Ravi Baul..

2007 Ali Akbar's birthday party, Babu and Zakir Hussain, Babu has know him and his brothers since he was a kid..

Nick Jagger of the Rolling Stones beside Babu's father Purna Das Baul, and little Babu in 1971, he would have been about 9 years old.. They were staying at Mick's place in Nice France recording an album. Babu's father did not really know who Mick Jagger was, he was just a distracting dancing man to him, they were guests of Mick Jagger's, and had come by arrangement of Mick Jaggers manager, after the fundraising concert for Bangladesh that was held in London. When they came a limousine picked them up, the driver was Mick Jagger.

Sri SitaRam Das Omkar Nath, whom Babu loved. He was intitiated by him, and still wear the Ram Shawl given to him by Sita Ram Das Omkarnath, Babu always say what a beautiful smile he had, and that he spent 30 years in caves, he was a Saint..

Babu, and George Harrison 1985, George along with Ravi Shankar assisted Babu in the republishing of Babu's book, The Bauls of Bengal

Babu, Sufi Books New York 2004

Ekchakra West Bengal.. the Birthplace of Babu's ancestor and Vaishnava Baul of Bengal 500 years ago, Sri Nityananda Mahaprabhu Baul, not only that his Aunt Radharani Dasi Baul married the Ekchakra Temples Pujari's son.. Gopal Das Baul the first Baul to incorporate the Dotara into Baul

Bhakti Fest 2010, Joshua Tree California

Sri Saraswati, from Durga Puja Pandal in Powai Mumbai Durga Puja 2008

Rare photo of Kali Ma taken by Babu Kishan can also be viewed on www.trishuladas.com

Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul in Rishikesh

Babukshan in Vancouer

Babu Kishan's guru Nabani Das Baul

A Baul singer with Ektara

Ananda Lahari

The temple wall of the Radhabinode Temple, where Jayadeva wrote the Gita Govinda

Jayadeva was born in Orissa but wrote the Gita Govinda here. The Bauls being poets hold Jayadeva in high esteem.

Durga Puja Calgary Canada

Lineage Baul friend Kali Dasgupta

SD Burman loved Nabani Das Baul's music

Lineage Baul Nabani Das Baul, Purna Das Baul and Babukishan,

Lineage Bauls instruments from Babu's family.

The Bauls of Bengal Album recorded in 1967 in America

Bauls of Bengal, Young Purna Das and Laxshman Das Baul

Mirror of the Sky... Babu and George Harrison who helped produce Babu's book Bauls of Bengal 1985

Babukishan @ Sitaramdas Omkarnath Thakurs ashram in Rishikesh 2007

Ecsatic Baul

Bob Dylan's album, John Westly Harding, Babu Kishans, father on the right..and his Uncle Laxshman Das Baul on Left.. and of course Bob Dylan in the middle..

For thousands of years the Bauls instrument of Peace is the Ektara or Gopi Chand, and the Kamak or Ananda Lahari, (Mystic Drum)

Babu at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York with David Amram Master NY music conductor, and New York's top musicians

Lineage Baul's roots are DEEP, in the soil of Bengal, their roots are DEEP reaching to heaven, pulling heaven to earth..Radha and Krishna are enshrined in the alter of their heart, that is why they do not have temples.... the deities are installed in their heart..in their soul.. They believe in soul.

Baul in Newport Beach California

Babukishan with his Baba and Ma!

Sri Sitaram Omkarnath's ashram 2007 Rishikesh

Babu and Sultan Khan one of the best Sarangi players, performing together at the Royal Albert Hall 80's sitting together in the Royal Albert Hall green room.

Some Albums by Babukishan

Press in Mumbai re: Babukishan

Babu with the Baul insturment of Peace.. Ektara.. San Diego 2003

Ektara, the Vaishnava Baul symbol for peace.

Babu and the great Master, Ali Akbar Khan whom Babu has knew since childhood.

Ravi Shankar and Babu, he is a family friend, Babu has known him since his childhood.

Mirror of the sky produced by Babukishan, the name, " MIRROR OF THE SKY" is a name Rabindranath Tagore gave Babu's grandfather, Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul, he also gave him the name Khyappa, before this no Baul was ever called Khyappa Baul, now today we see everybody calling themselves Kyappa Baul.

Babu and Trishula in Vrindavan India 2007

The roots of Baul are deep, and also include wisdom from Buddhism..They accept all roots coming out of India. The Vaishnava Baul's have the deepest roots compared to any other branches of Baul..

Krishnendu Das Baul aka Babukishan in the 80's Energetic fire..

RabindraNath Tagore who was closely associated with Babu's grandfather Nabani Das Baul, Nabani gave Rabindranath the name Robi (Ravi Baul)

Al Aronowitz, the Blacklisted Journalist who introduced Bob Dylan to the Beattles. RIP 2005. Father of Rock and Roll Journalism, Rolling Stones, Washington Post, New York Times Village Voice..

2008 article from the Times of India

Babu's long association with the Rolling Stones, here in Mumbai, he first met Mick Jagger in 1971 at Mick's estate in Nice France.

Babu and long time friend Sally Grossman who started the Baul Archive, the interviews are mostly with Baul singers, not much lineage Baul there.. The man in the background is the legendary Albert B Grossman, who was Sally's husband and Manager to Bob Dylan

Babukishan and long time old friend Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones

American Poet Allen Ginsberg in New York, Allen met Babu's grandfather back in the early 60's, Nabani Das Baul was Allen's Guru..

Radha lives in the heart of the Baul, she is seen as supreme because she has pulling power, without Radha there is no krishna!

The great God intoxicated Saint, devotee of Kali Ma, Ramakrishna, and his devotee the Great India Swami Vikekananda, who started the Vedanta Society.. Babu spent 12 years here as a Vedic monk in Kolkata.

Babu has written lyric for and composed music for, producing over 44 albums. This one in honor of Kali ma